Building real-world expertise: Internship funding award expands opportunities for VCU Business students
By Megan Nash
Summer vacation usually means a break from the books, but for many VCU School of Business students, it was an opportunity to jump into the professional world.
In its third year, the VCU Internship Funding Program (IFP), led by VCU Career Services, made it possible for students to gain workplace experience without the financial strain. The program awarded $286,600 to 88 students this past spring from a pool of 221 applicants.
Individual awards ranged from $300 to $5,000, helping students cover costs associated with summer internships across diverse industries and 31 unique majors within nine different VCU schools and colleges.
Among the recipients, 29 VCU Business students–representing 33% of the awardees–hit their stride with this initiative.
As they head back to campus, two current business students–Jonathan Freitas ’25 and Mayuri Samala ‘25–return with new skills and valuable experiences thanks to a summer well spent in the working world.
Jonathan Freitas ‘25
A rising senior earning his bachelor’s in finance with a minor in economics, Freitas interned at Bank of America as a summer analyst in their Finance Management Analyst Program (FMAP), working on the Chief Investment Office (CIO) team responsible for the corporate investment strategy. The VCU Internship Funding Program enabled him to relocate to Charlotte, North Carolina, for 10 weeks.
“Sitting with the CIO team this summer instilled in me a profound new respect and interest in fixed-income investing and markets that I simply did not have before. Not only that, but working within the corporate finance space at such a large financial institution really broadened my perspective on all the different kinds of roles and jobs that exist within the space,” Freitas said.
Responsibilities:
One of my main weekly tasks was creating reports to analyze prepayment profiles of various mortgage-backed securities and forecast their auction performance. The bank would pool mortgage loans into securities and auction them. I analyzed each pool’s characteristics, created prepayment files and used them for forecasting. After auctions, I compared my analysis to actual results and revised my reports.
What are your plans for the upcoming semester/year? How do you plan to apply what you learned from your internship to your studies?
As a rising senior, I plan to focus on making a positive impact on my groups and communities. This includes business student organizations like the Student Managed Investment Portfolio (SMIP) and Blockchain Club, as well as extracurricular activities like YoungLife College campus ministry, where I help lead a Bible study. I want to learn as much as possible from my peers and professors in the business school. The skills I gained this summer will impact my senior year coursework, especially in analytical communication, technical and forecasting areas. I will also continue to build on the coding skills I developed.
Favorite part of the internship:
My favorite part of the internship was the people. I was part of a great team that supported my curiosity and development. Additionally, everyone at the bank was open to networking, giving career advice and answering my questions.
Mayuri Samala ‘25
Samala spent her summer breaking into the tech world as a solutions marketing intern at Lumen Technologies, a company known for its advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and secure communications. Also a rising senior, majoring in marketing product and brand management with a minor in sports and fitness management, Samala took on projects such as AI infographics, security whitepapers and research presentations. The VCU Internship Funding Program gave her the means to cover rent, set up a remote workspace and save for other college expenses.
“From this experience, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of AI applications and a security-first culture, which are highly relevant in today’s tech landscape,” said Samala. “The mentorship I received was significant in shaping my understanding of the industry and boosting my confidence in my abilities.”
Responsibilities:
Since my internship was remote, my day-to-day responsibilities consisted of attending meetings during the first half of the day. In the second half, I worked on various assigned projects, such as an AI infographic, a security whitepaper, an AI framework, blog posts and a research presentation.
What are your plans for the upcoming semester/year? How do you plan to apply what you learned from your internship to your studies?
In the upcoming year, I plan to apply my content creation skills to all my assignments and use my knowledge of outcome-based messaging to craft messages that resonate with specific audiences. My enhanced adaptability and problem-solving skills will help me creatively tackle academic challenges. Additionally, I plan to leverage the connections I made during my internship to explore new opportunities.
Valuable piece of advice:
My advice to other business students seeking internships is to take advantage of Business Career Services to improve their resumes and start applying early. It’s never too early to begin.
Undergraduate students interested in the VCU Internship Funding Program for summer 2025 should stay tuned for the opening of applications. For more information, contact VCU Career Services at [email protected], Business Career Services at [email protected] or visit the program website.
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